Pregame Thread: August 5 – Toronto Blue Jays (61-50) @ Boston Red Sox (57-52) – 4:10 PM

3 comments

1. **Ernie Clement** time in the organization is looking to be nearing an end. Disappointed he didn’t get more of a chance to play. Logic would dictate him being the one on the chopping block for Chad Green when he comes off the 60-IL. The Blue Jays have excess IF depth on the 40-Man Roster and Clement like Thornton/Hatch are out of options for next season which means he would likely be gone anyways in the off-season.

   * **Barger, Martinez, Pearson, Pop, Francis, Danner & Horwitz** aren’t going anywhere.
   * **Zulueta & Jimenez** are expendable prospects but not as DFA options. Those are off-season trade options.
   * **C Tyler Heineman** is the #3 C, has options remaining for next season and is slashing .263/.417/.379/.796 in AAA.
   * **OF Nathan Lukes** is the 5th OF, has options remaining for next season and is slashing .333/.419/.546/.965 in AAA.
   * Some would argue to DFA **Santiago Espinal** or **Cavan Biggio.** Espinal has options for next season which makes him at least least some what more valuable than Clement. Biggio has actually been a very solid bench player who can play upwards of 6 positions, bat left handed and is a good pitch running option.

   *Sadly that leaves Ernie Clement as the next guy on the roster bubble.* ***Otto Lopez*** *and* ***Adam Cimber*** *if they manage to return from the 60-Day IL this season would really make things complicated but it could be them themselves who get DFA. Cimber has fallen down the depth chart and is in line to make over $3.5 M next season while Otto is out of options next seasons.*

2. Minor League update:

   **AAA Buffalo Bisons:**

   *Even though Schnieder is now in the big leagues (hopefully for good)…there are still several names to follow especially as guys who can make the team next season.*

   * **Addison Barger (23)** is now the next big hitting prospect to watch in AAA. Following in Schnieder footsteps and since returning from injury has shown a dynamic mix of power and on-base skills. Yesterday going ***1-for-3 with a 3-Run HR and 2 BB***. Now hitting a robust **.241/.366/.473 with an OPS of .839** which includes strong ratios ***(20.9% SO vs. 14.7% BB)*** and ***6 HR (.211 ISO)***. They have been using him both at the top and middle of the lineup and has been regularly playing 3B/SS/RF.
   * **Spencer Hotwitz (25)** continues looking like a potential Brandon Belt replacement next season and has bumped his **OPS on the season back up to .900 after going 3-for-4 with 1 BB**. He is now slashing **.320/.439/.461 on the season**. He isn’t on the same level of someone like Barger or Schnieder but someone I can see making the team out of Spring Training next season in the platoon roll Belt has now. Horwitz crushes **righties to a tune of .353/.488/.538/1.026 in 221 AB** but only hits lefties to the tune of .245/.322/.286/.608 in 98 AB.
   * **Hagen Danner (24)** would probably be in the Majors by now if it wasn’t for our deep bullpen depth. Unless he is traded he will likely be ready in AAA for the first sign of injury next season. Him and **Connor Cooke (23)** will make an exceptional reliving duo for the Bisons until then. Danner over his last **11 outings has pitched 11.2 innings and has allowed just 1 ER on 5 H / 2 BB / 14 SO**. On the season rocking a very good **.191 OBA & 0.97 WHIP**.

   **A+ Vancouver Canadians:**

   * **Ian Churchill (24)** might be a bit on the older side at the level his is pitching at but he sure is dominating it. Pitching another **1.2 scoreless innings on 1 BB / 1 SO** and has now not allowed a run in 8.0 IP since his promotion to High-A which was after alllowing only 3 ER in 20.1 IP in Low-A.
   * **Josh Kasevich (23) & Cade Doughty (22)** who were both drafted in the 2nd round in 2022 are both heating up as the season has moved along. **Doughty hit .299/.392/.567/.959 in July** while **Kasevich hit .310/.408/.524/.932 in July**. Both have carried the momentum into August as well as they combined to go ***5-for-9 with 3 RBI, 2 Runs and 1 BB*** yesterday.

   **A- Dunedin Blue Jays:**

   * **Ricky Tiedemann (20)** is still very much the best prospect in the organization and if it weren’t for the injury likely one of the better ones in all of baseball. As most already know he pitched 3.0 more innings on his rehab assignment striking out 9 and allowing just a single hit (1B). In total on his rehab he has pitched 8.0 IP and has allowed just 1 H & 1 BB while striking out 15. People are excited about him but have to keep in mind we likely won’t seem him until late next season. He really hasn’t had the time to build up to a full starters workload.

3. As much as it would absolutely sting you got to probably let KK walk in the off-season and let Varsho take over in CF where his defence value would only jump higher. Then fill in LF with a bigger bat.

   Varsho doesn’t even technically qualify as a CF this season and is still at the top of nearly every cummulative defensive metric in CF.

   **Kevin Kiermaier in CF with 706.0 Innings:**

   * 12 DRS (1st)
   * 8 OAA (5th)
   * 5.8 Def (8th)

   **Daulton Varsho in CF with 276.2 Innings:**

   * 10 DRS (2nd)
   * 5 OAA (9th)
   * 5.5 Def (9th)

   I don’t think people comprehend how good your defence has to be to collect **2.2 bWAR & 0.8 fWAR** having as poor of an offensive season as Varsho has.